Cougars take pair from Boyd baseball
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The Broncos dropped the opening contest 6-3, then were dominated by their foes from Murfreesboro 14-0 in the nightcap.
The Broncos fell behind 1-0 early in Monday?s opening game, but struck for three runs in the bottom of the first to take a liead thanks to an RBI double by Tyler Hillis and an RBI grounder from Jon Bryant. Hillis later scored to put his team up 3-1, on an errant throw from Cougar shortstop Jake Siler.
The lead didn?t last long, however, as the Cougars plated three more runs in the third against Boyd starter Dillon Childers. Michael Colvin reached on a dropped fly ball to open the frame, and Andrew Coats dropped a single into shallow center before Parker Molitor plated both runners with a double to center. A misplayed ball off the bat of Tim Hendrix allowed another run to score, but Boyd got out of the inning with no further damage, completing a fielder?s choice at second and gunning down would-be base stealer Siler at home.
However, the Broncos offense was never able to regain the lead, stranding seven baserunners through the remaning five innings of the contest. MTCS, meanwhile, plated a pair of insurance runs in the seventh, with Taylor Beckham reaching on an error and scoring on a Hendrix hit, and Andrew Coats coming home on a wild pitch after being hit by a pitch to reach with one out.
Childers took the loss for the Broncos, surrendering all six runs (four earned) on seven hits and five walks. He hit one batter and struck out five.
Hillis went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, driving in a run and scoring another. Boyd?s other base knocks came from Childers, Brooks Palmer and Steven Fuqua.
Game 2 was dominated by the Cougars as early as the second inning, when they got to Hillis for six runs on three hits, three walks and an error to take a lead that would prove to be insurmountable.
MTCS chased Hillis from the mound in the third in favor of Fuqua, who allowed a sacrifice fly which put the Cougars on top 11-0, and walked the bases loaded in the fourth before being lifted in favor of Palmer.
Ethan Patterson connected for a two-run single against Palmer, later scoring on a bases-loaded walk to Steven Walter with what would prove to be the final run of the contest.
Jake Siler got the complete-game win for MTCS, allowing just one hit ? a second-inning single to Jon Bryant ? and striking out five batters.
Hillis took the loss for Boyd with his 2-1/3 innings of work, while Fuqua pitched 2/3 of an inning of relief and Palmer worked 1/1-3 to close out the five-inning game.
Boyd returns to the diamond May 1, for a Senior Day doubleheader aganist Eagleville. It is scheduled for a 5 p.m. start.